Even among electronic devices of the same type, their settings vary depending on the model. Therefore, if a model is changed by replacement of an electronic device or if models of electronic devices used are different by location (e.g., a school, workplace, or home), it is necessary to make settings every time the model is changed. To avoid such cumbersome operations, it may be possible that a computer automatically makes settings for a different model of electronic device by using settings previously made. However, this approach has a serious problem to be solved.
Typically, there are two types of setting rules, explicit and implicit rules, to be followed in making settings for an electronic device. One is a constraint rule relating to ranges of setting values. For example, a printer follows a constraint rule, such as “the print margin should be within a range of 10 mm to 30 mm”. The other is a constraint rule relating to dependencies between setting values. For example, a printer follows a constraint rule, such as “it is not allowed to simultaneously specify both “staple” and “hole punch” settings, and when a “staple” setting is specified, a “hole punch” setting is cancelled”.
Even if settings previously made for one model cannot be directly used for another model, a problem associated with application of the former constraint rule (which relates to ranges of setting values) can be solved by a simple method. That is, for a model that differs in the range of setting values, a value outside an allowable range can be “rounded” to an appropriate value within the allowable range. For example, if a paper size selected for a first model of printer is not applicable to a second model, a paper size that is within an allowable range and nearest to the paper size selected for the first model can be selected for the second model.
However, as for the latter constraint rule (which relates to dependencies between setting values), it is not easy to solve the associated problem. This will be described with reference to FIG. 1(a) and FIG. 1(b). FIG. 1(a) is a table showing exemplary constraint rules that are based on dependencies between setting values and are applied to a printer of Model X. As shown in the table, under the constraint rules, “2 in 1” cannot be set to ON after “punch” is set to ON. Conversely, “punch” cannot be set to ON after “2 in 1” is set to ON. In this way, constraint rules based on dependencies between setting values are dependent on the order of setting.
More specifically, for illustrative purposes, there will be described a case where a printer currently used is changed to a printer of Model X to which the constraint rules of FIG. 1(a) are applied. For ease of understanding, there are provided four setting items, and settings for the printer before the model change are specified as follows: staple=OFF, punch=ON, 2 in 1=ON, and duplex=ON. Then, to these settings before the model change, the constraint rules of FIG. 1(a) are applied. This gives, as shown in FIG. 1(b), two possible results depending on the order of setting. In possible result 1, a setting for “2 in 1” is made after a setting for “punch” is made. In possible result 2, a setting for “punch” is made after a setting for “2 in 1” is made. It is to be noted that although two possible results are obtained in this example, the number of possible results increases as the number of setting items increases.
As described above, it is possible for a computer to automatically determine settings for a new model by using settings for an electronic device before the model change. However, application of constraint rules based on dependencies between setting values gives a plurality of sets of settings as candidates and thus, it is not possible to determine a single set of settings to be made for the new model. Additionally, when a model of electronic device used is changed to a new model with higher performance, if setting items that are not available for previous models are made available for the new model, it is not possible to generate settings for the new model by using settings for the previous model.
As a solution to this, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-197935 discloses a supporting apparatus which supports generation of collective setting information and is used to make settings for a plurality of target devices connected to a network. This supporting apparatus obtains, from a device connected to the network, setting information set for the device. Then, the supporting apparatus displays the obtained setting information on a display screen and accepts, from the user, editing operations (e.g., addition, modification, and deletion) to be performed on the setting information. In response to an instruction from the user, the supporting apparatus accepts setting information obtained from a device or information obtained by editing the setting information, as device setting information.